Dallas is getting a $600 million urban park that's 11 times the size of Central Park

A rendering of Trinity River Park in Dallas, Texas.
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
Dallas, Texas is getting a lot greener.

The city is building a 10,000-acre nature district— nearly 12 times the size of Manhattan's Central Park — along the Trinity River. Featuring plenty of trees, walkways, sports fields, and flora, the site will become the largest urban park in America.

In late October, Annette Simmons, the widow of late billionaire Harold Simmons, donated $50 million toward 285 acres of the ongoing project. Set to be complete by 2021 and cost $250 million, this portion will be called the Harold Simmons Park. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings expects other private donations to fund the rest of the Harold Simmons Park, according to Dallas News.

It will become part of the larger nature district, called the Trinity River Project, that began in the early 2000s. In total, the city has spent over $609 million to build trails, a bridge, a horse park, a golf course, and a community center in a 7,000-acre forested area outside Dallas as of 2015. In the future, there are also plans to build shops, restaurants, housing, and offices near the river.

Check out what the Harold Simmons Park portion, designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, will look like below.

Spanning 285 acres, the Harold Simmons Park will be a part of Dallas' 10,000-acre nature district.

Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

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Here's what the land looks like today:

Wikipedia Commons

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Visitors will be able to peer out using a pedestrian overpass. As seen below, a few roads will also run through the park.

Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

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Before the Harold Simmons Park breaks ground, the US Corps of Engineers will need to approve the plans, since it's in a flood zone.

Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

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When it rains, the park will welcome the water, lead architect Michael Van Valkenburgh said at a recent conference. The park will naturally flood in controlled areas, and the water will drain into bioswales (sloped courses that absorb water).